Planning polyhouse farming in Madhubani? Madhubani is a town in Madhubani district, Bihar, home to about 76,000 people (GeoNames)[1][2], about 480 km from Kolkata. We have used the monthly climate for Madhubani to plan a structure, a growing system and a crop calendar, so you can compare them with your own plot and buyers.
Climate for polyhouse farming in Madhubani
May is the hottest month in Madhubani, with average daily highs of about 39°C. January has the coolest nights, averaging 9°C.[3] The area gets about 1,104 mm of rain a year, most of it in June to September, peaking in July at about 296 mm. Average humidity stays at 75% or more in July to September, which raises the risk of leaf disease and slows evaporative cooling. Madhubani sits about 56 m above sea level.[2] On the Köppen–Geiger climate map, Madhubani falls in the humid subtropical with dry winters zone (Cwa).[4]
Madhubani climate by month
Month
Avg high (°C)
Avg low (°C)
Humidity (%)
Rain (mm)
Jan
22.6
9.0
49
8
Feb
27.1
12.5
41
12
Mar
33.4
17.7
31
18
Apr
38.0
23.1
31
33
May
38.7
26.0
43
89
Jun
37.4
27.4
58
176
Jul
33.0
26.2
79
296
Aug
32.2
25.6
83
219
Sep
31.0
24.3
83
198
Oct
30.1
20.6
74
50
Nov
27.4
15.3
62
2
Dec
23.4
10.6
55
3
Area averages (a grid cell of about 50 km) for 2001–2025, from NASA POWER, centred on Madhubani. Rainfall and night temperatures at your plot can differ, especially near hills and the coast.[3]
Advantages of protected cultivation in Madhubani
1
Year-round crops
Under cover, chilli pepper can be grown for 10 months a year in Madhubani, so you can supply buyers every week instead of one open-field season.
2
Better yield and price
Plants grow without rain, hail and wind damage, so yields are higher and more even, and clean, graded produce sells at a better price, especially off-season.
3
Less water
Drip irrigation under cover uses less water than flood irrigation, and the roof keeps July's 296 mm of rain off the crop and the soil.
4
Less pesticides
Insect net on vents and doors keeps out most pests, and controlled ventilation helps with leaf disease in the humid months (July to September), so you spray less often.
5
Subsidy eligible
Polyhouse, shade net and nethouse projects in Bihar can apply for Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) assistance through the state horticulture department.[5]
Which polyhouse suits Madhubani?
For polyhouse farming in Madhubani, the structure decides which months you can crop and what it costs to run. The heat in Madhubani comes with dry air. In April to May, average highs reach 39°C while average humidity is only about 37%. In that dry air, wet pads can bring a 39°C May afternoon down to roughly 31°C inside a Fan & Pad polyhouse, which keeps herbs and vine crops going; lettuce will still struggle in the hottest weeks. For vine crops such as capsicum and cucumber, a naturally ventilated polyhouse with a shade screen works from February and September to November and costs less to run.
Plan for heavy rain in July (about 296 mm): raise the plinth, size the gutters for that month and keep drains away from the nutrient tank. A nethouse, the lowest-cost option, can grow hardy crops in February to March and October to November, when it is mild and fairly dry.
Crops for Madhubani
Based on Madhubani's climate, the crops with the longest growing windows are chilli pepper (10 months), capsicum (9 months) and cucumber (9 months). Chilli pepper fits February to November with Fan & Pad cooling. These are the crops we would plan first for polyhouse farming in Madhubani.
Months each crop suits in Madhubani
Crop
Naturally ventilated polyhouse
With Fan & Pad cooling
Capsicum
Feb and Sep–Nov
Feb–May and Jul–Nov
Tomato
Feb and Sep–Dec
Feb–Apr and Sep–Dec
Cucumber
Mar and Jul–Nov
Mar–Nov
Chilli pepper
Feb and Jul–Nov
Feb–Nov
Brinjal
Jul–Nov
Mar–Nov
Lettuce
Nov–Feb
Sep–Apr
Broccoli
Dec–Jan
Nov–Feb
Strawberry
Dec–Jan
Nov–Feb
Rose
Feb and Nov–Dec
Feb–Mar and Oct–Dec
Gerbera
Feb and Nov–Dec
Feb–Apr and Oct–Dec
Carnation
Dec–Jan
Nov–Feb
Chrysanthemum
Feb and Nov–Dec
Feb–Mar and Oct–Dec
Anthurium
Difficult
Mar–May and Jul–Oct
Orchids
Difficult
Mar–May and Jul–Oct
Lilium
Dec–Jan
Nov–Feb
Kryzen planning estimate from the monthly averages above and each crop's usual day and night temperature range. Variety, soil or substrate temperature and shading change the result, so confirm with a trial.
₹5,165Spending per person per month, urban Bihar, 2023–24[6]
480 kmto Kolkata, the nearest metro (straight line)
Urban households in Bihar spent an average of ₹5,165 per person per month in 2023–24, below the all-India urban average of ₹7,078.[6] Local demand in Madhubani may be small for exotic greens, so plan where the rest of the harvest goes. Darbhanga, about 30 km away, is the nearest larger market on our list.
Polyhouse farming in Madhubani with Kryzen
We have built 2 projects in Bihar so far (see our project map (opens in a new tab)). Madhubani is about 1,310 km in a straight line from our Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar warehouse, our nearest site.
Towns near Madhubani
We also plan and build farms in these towns near Madhubani:
Map: LGD 2024 boundaries via bharatlas, CC BY 4.0. For illustration only.
Polyhouse farming in Madhubani: FAQs
Can a polyhouse farm run all year in Madhubani?
Yes, with the right structure. For Madhubani we would plan a Fan & Pad polyhouse for leafy greens. Even then, lettuce is hard to grow in May to August, so plan another crop for those months.
Which polyhouse is best for Madhubani?
With May highs of about 39°C and 43% average humidity in that month, we would start with a Fan & Pad polyhouse for leafy greens.
Which crops should I grow in a polyhouse in Madhubani?
Going by the monthly climate, chilli pepper, capsicum and cucumber have the longest growing windows. Confirm prices and volumes with buyers before you plant.
Is polyhouse farming profitable in Madhubani?
It can be, if the crop, the structure and the buyers match. In Madhubani, chilli pepper and capsicum have the longest seasons under cover. Confirm prices and volumes with buyers first; our Detailed Project Report works out the cost, yield and returns for your plot.
Does Kryzen build polyhouses in Madhubani?
Yes. Our nearest site is our Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar warehouse, about 1,310 km away, and we have built 2 projects in Bihar.
Is there a subsidy for polyhouse or hydroponic farms in Bihar?
Yes. Protected cultivation projects in Bihar can apply for Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) assistance through the state horticulture department. Check the current rate and area limit when you apply.
Discuss your Madhubani farm project
Share your plot location, water test and crop targets. We will suggest the right structure and growing system, and send an itemised quotation.
A computer engineer turned hydroponic farmer from a multigenerational farming family in Satara. Sudhir founded Kryzen in 2019, and the team has since built 350+ protected and hydroponic farms across India.
